1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiation detecting cassette which houses a solid state radiation detector, and a radiation image data management system that employs the radiation detecting cassette.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of solid state radiation detectors (having semiconductors as main components) have been proposed and are in use, in the field of radiation imaging for medical diagnosis and the like (refer to, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,614 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-284056). The solid state radiation detectors detect radiation which has passed through a subject, and output image signals representing a radiation image of the subject. There have also been proposed various types of radiation detecting cassettes, which house a solid state radiation detector and an image memory for recording an image signal output from the solid state radiation detector within a case (refer to, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,309 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7 (1995)-140255).
Recently, image data management systems, which employ radiation detecting cassettes such as those described above, are in use. The image data management systems are particularly employed at large scale hospitals having a plurality of imaging rooms for radiation imaging. The image data management systems make operations of radiation imaging obtaining facilities more efficient, by unitarily managing order data for radiation image obtainment performed within the hospital with a Radiological Information System (RIS) or the like.
As an example of the image data management system, one can be considered which performs the following functions. First, contents of radiation image obtainment to be performed within the hospital (order data for imaging) are registered in the RIS. Then, a radiation detecting cassette is connected to a terminal of the RIS, to record patient data and order data for imaging, such as data regarding a portion to be imaged, in a memory within the radiation detecting cassette. Next, the radiation cassette, having the order data recorded therein, is brought to an imaging room, and imaging of a portion of a subject, according to the order data, is performed. Thereafter, the radiation detecting cassette is loaded into a specialized image readout device, and the order data and the image signal recorded in the memory of the cassette is read out. The order data and the image signal is registered in a medical image data network (PACS: Picture Archiving and Communication System).
In the aforementioned image data management system, a technician who performs imaging is burdened with the following tasks. Before imaging, the technician must connect the radiation detecting cassette to the terminal of the RIS to record the order data for imaging in the radiation detecting cassette. The technician then performs imaging on the radiation detecting cassette. Thereafter, the technician must load the radiation detecting cassette into the specialized image readout device to readout the order data and the image signal. Therefore, even though efficient operations of radiation image obtaining facilities within a hospital may be achieved, there is a problem that the workload of the technician becomes great.